Page 40 of The Duke and the Disciple

His quick grimace was ripe with disappointment, but he shifted forward, clasping his hands over the desk, and looked straight at her. “Tomorrow is the village apology and Marek’s surrender. It?—”

“Won’tbe happening. Let me save you a visit to the soothsayers,” Aesylt quipped with an unladylike snort.

“Of course not.” Drazhan sat back. “It was never going to happen.”

Aesylt’s smug grin faded. “Then why propose it at all?”

“So all the Vjestik, all the village, can see I have acted fairly and reasonably. Another leader would already have Marek’s head greeting visitors as they ride into town.”

“No, you’re not known for your reasonableness, are you?” The vitriol in her tone cut the pain of his unintentionally thoughtless words. The visualization of heads on pikes brought forth one image and one image only.

Drazhan’s expression softened. “I will never be that kind of leader, cub. It’s not who I am—who we are. I canfeelMarek at the end of my bare hands, dying the same death he tried to offer you. I can taste it. I dream of it.” His hands clenched at his sides as he forced calm upon himself. “But the Barynovs will not let this go. Whether they truly believe...” He shook his head in disgust. “Doesn’t matter to me what they believe. They’d let our entire world burn to make a point. And I can’t let it happen.”

Aesylt crossed her arms, thinking. “Why... Drazhan, why do you think they want to blamemeso badly? I understand the confusion, the not understanding, the shame, but... There has to be a bigger reason. Doesn’t there?”

Drazhan pursed his mouth. He glanced to the side. “Before Valerian left, Esker came to see me a few times about a betrothal between you and Valerian.” He cleared his throat. “I refused.”

Aesylt scoffed. “That’s not a secret. And how many betrothals has it been that you’ve turned down on my behalf?”

“Eight. Maybe nine. None of them even half-fit to share home and hearth with you.” Drazhan breathed deep. “But after speaking with Esker last night, I believe I understand their... campaign better.”

“You spoke with him again last night?”

“Mm. It’s why I had the guards take you home through the forest path. His men were waiting for our meeting to conclude.”

Aesylt’s pulse raced. Something was wrong. Drazhan never took his time. He said what he needed to say. “Out with it, whatever it is.”

Drazhan leaned in again. “Tell me it isn’t true that you agreed to wed Valerian before he left for the forest.”

She slid her hands onto her lap with a slow inhale. Her brother’s stare burned her as he waited for her to either confess or lie. But she had a question of her own first. “How could they possibly know what was or was not said between Val and me before he went into the forest if he has not regained consciousness?”

Drazhan scraped his finger against his stubble. “It seems Marek met him on the path after he left you.”

Aesylt had to restrain herself from leaping out of her chair. “Then I wasnotthe last person to see Val!”

Drazhan’s neck bulged. “Valerian told his brother two things. Twosignificantthings. The first was that the two of you would be...” He rolled his hands with an annoyed twist of his lips. “Wed, should he return. The second was that you had taken him...” He opened his mouth wide on exhale. “Into the fuckingcelestial realmbefore you said good-bye. Andthat,little sostra, is why they’ve waged this smear against you.”

Aesylt’s jaw went slack. Her tongue dried upon the back of her speechlessness. “Draz, I?—”

His hand came down on the desk as he leaned in. “We don’t lie to each other, Aesylt. Don’t start now.”

She settled on her chair. Her eyes closed. She hadn’t planned to lie, just explain herself. But her brother wouldn’t care what her reasons were. In his mind, there were none big enough for her to return to a place he believed might one day be the end of her. “Both things are true, wulf. And if you actually carewhy, I will be happy to explain.”

His eyes rolled as his hands came up, looping over his head. “Oh, cub. I know why. You thought you were helping. When a man stares death in the eye, he needs a reason to break his gaze. You gave him one.”

Aesylt lowered her gaze. To hear her justifications spoken back to her, so lightly, enfeebled them. She wished the earth would rise and swallow her. “I thought I was doing the right thing, wulf.”

“Right. Wrong. The Barynovs aren’t concerned with either. These accusations, these tensions... They were diversions. For this.” He waved at her. “For you.”

“The betrothal?”

He nodded. “And now, Esker claims he will accept nothing less than my blessing.”

“Or...” Aesylt swallowed. “Or what?”

Drazhan didn’t answer. He glanced at the portrait of their father. “I don’t want you to worry about this. I only needed to know whether it was true, and you’ve confirmed it.”

“They commit a treasonable act and accuse me of being akoldyna,and they think you’d relent? It makes next to no sense, Draz. So does anyone believing me capable of it.”

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